Bush pauses to comfort teen (Warning...disturbing image)

[demdave]

In a moment largely unnoticed by the throngs of people in Lebanon waiting for autographs from the president of the United States, George W. Bush stopped to hold a teenager's head close to his heart.

Lynn Faulkner, his daughter, Ashley, and their neighbor, Linda Prince, eagerly waited to shake the president's hand Tuesday at the Golden Lamb Inn. He worked the line at a steady campaign pace, smiling, nodding and signing autographs until Prince spoke:

"This girl lost her mom in the World Trade Center on 9-11."

---snip---

"I'm a pretty cynical and jaded guy at this point in my life," Faulkner said of the moment with the president. "But this was the real deal. I was really impressed. It was genuine and from the heart."



http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/05/06/loc_moment06.html

[w4rma]

1. It *was* Bush's decisions that lead to her mom's death. (nt)

[xultar]

25. New strategy, to suffocate Muslims one at a time. n/t

[chimpymustgo]

2. Love how Chimpy looks straight at the camera.

Heartfelt my ass.

:puke:

:puke:

:puke:

[TroglodyteScholar]

11. Funny,

I was about to point that out. "Hi Camera, look at me, I have a heart. I'm proving it by armpitting this poor little girl."

[Carni]

29. I read that sbout Saddam too

He always embraced others by drawing their faces into his arm pits...I am not making this up, old Saddam was kind of a crazy guy.
(Need I say more George?)

[Kinkistyle]

50. All he has to do is wink

He's got that, "I hope you're getting my good side" look on his face

[icymist]

86. My thoughts exactly! Just look into his eyes...

It's as if they're wondering if America will buy it.

[THUNDER HANDS]

3. look how sincere his is

STARING INTO THE FREAKIN' CAMERA!!!!

:mad:

[NewsTalk]

4. This was a caring thing to do...

rendered completely useless by *'s obvious determination to make sure the camera caught every last compassionate grimace on his face.

"Are yuh focused thar, Tex? Can yuh tell how sad ah look? Gimme a second, mebbe ah can work up a tear or two..."

[KoKo]

78. Jesus said "Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me...." Bush/Jesus

part of his Messianic complex, I think.

You know I really don't like to criticize him for this photo, but like other DU'ers we've never seen any evidence of any compassion from the man so we tend to mock him because we feel it's all for show.

I do wonder though that we become freeper like in that they complained that Clinton didn't feel anything for anyone and did everything for show.

I don't know, my conscience tugs at me, but I still think Bush deserves our mocking for his hypocracy and disconnect between his actions and the
Jesus he claims speaks to him....

[bahrbearian]

5. It's like getting a hug from Tony Saprano.

[saigon68]

"Those damn Iraqi's did that to your mom" --THE CHIPANZEE

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/images/I6126-2004May06L

"WE'LL USE AMERIKAN JUSTICE ON THEM, GIRL" THE CHIMP CONTINUED

Click link to see how Shrub will get JUSTICE FOR HER

[TahitiNut]

68. "Your Mom's death helped my approval ratings. Thanks, girlie."

"Next? (Bring the camera. I want copies of that shot.)"

[BigEdMustapha]

6. Is he comforting her or...

Trying to smother her so she cannot say something offensive to him?

[prodigal_green]

7. it looks to me

like he has her in a headlock.

[PfcHammer]

15. hell yeah. he's trying to snap her neck because she

overheard something she shouldn't have on that gold-plated campaigning bus.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

8. Hope she didn't inhale....

flop sweat from a Republican. Ugh.

[EdGy]

9. excuse me

while I :puke:

This guy is just plain evil. How can someone who is so responsible for what happened on 9/11, who's done all in his power to block any investigation of those events, do this in good conscience? Thay could not.

I pity that poor girl for being used like a stage prop by the Bush campaign.

[Wickerman]

10. Ok, I'll take it as genuine compassion - good work, George

1st such example I have seen in following your polictal career since the early 90's.

:puke:

[Gman]

14. Ok, I'll give him sincerity, but...

is his sincerity brought on by guilt over what his policies, or lack of, did to her mother?

[spotbird]

24. Why would you think him sincere?

Remember that he'll attend no funerals nor allow the remains of fallen soldiers the dignity of a ceremony upon their return home. He won't take responsibility for the atrocities in Iraq, nothing is his fault, and he cares only about himself.

Everything is staged a staged manipulation in this presidency. Dollars to donuts she was planted right there for this "sincere" reaction by the Chimpster himself. Don't let them fool you.

[RummyTheDummy]

37. Exactly

After the carrier landing and the Baghdad plastic Thanksgiving turkey how can anyone take anything from him at face value.

[Gman]

94. You're probably right because

no one can fake sincerity better than an alcoholic. You're probably right.

[rock]

12. Was he saying, under his breath

in a mocking tone, "Help me, help me."

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. That's supposed to be his "genuine and from the heart" look?

:eyes: Clinton would have done the same in a similar situation and I am sure there are plenty of pictures bearing that out, only he wouldn't have stared straight into the camera. * is a disgusting little man!

[demdave]

21. Clinton got caught doing this also at Ron Brown's funeral

I believe all politicians do this.

[spotbird]

26. Yep they all do it, and some of them actually feel something

when at the time. This man has no empathy.

[SammyWinstonJack]

44. Which was my point

What I meant by Clinton doing the same in a similar situation was that, Clinton would have embraced the little girl with empathy, something * clearly doesn't possess. I should have made that clearer in my post.

[RummyTheDummy]

40. Yes, I head about that from......

Rush Limbaugh. Which means there's no truth in it.

[demdave]

45. I have seen the video, google for it.

Informing ones self is much better than simply dismissing info out of hand because of a source. You then learn what is truth, half-truths and out and out lies. Try it, you will like it.

[Judi Lynn]

65. I saw the video a long time ago

There was no "there" there. They were really reaching to try to make something of it.

Unless you are a total psychopath, a towering "drama queen" you do NOT go to a funeral, and I've been to quite enough, dragging along, sobbing, throwing yourself on the casket, chewing the scenery.

Normal people continue to act like normal people.

Whatever they thought they could make of the terrifying "Ron Brown's funeral" was utterly, predictably stupid.

[progressivebydesign]

36. NORMAL would have been to close your eyes.. or look down.. N/T

[veganwitch]

61. definately, not making sure there was a camera around

i wouldnt be surprised to see this in a tv commercial.

*vomit*

[AlGore-08.com]

70. Or Gore - - compare and contrast real President Gore with Smirk Boy

Below is my friend Dylan's mother with the real President



You can't see it, but she and her husband were wearing "Al Gore Saved My Grandson's Life" t-shirts, because that's exactly what Gore did.

Read about it here:
http://www.babyian.com

[Tina H]

73. yet another hug:

at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/clinton_under_fire/latest_news/274792.stm

this one actually kind of disturbs me, but not quite as much as the Bush one in the original post.

[Judi Lynn]

77. Interesting. Why don't you fill us in on it, and why you posted it? n/t

[Tina H]

82. I am trying to gently direct our partisan zeal . . .

down more productive avenues.

[Judi Lynn]

83. I don't think that works.

What does Bill Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky, which we all know in intimate detail, have to do with this discussion?

How would you dream bringing up that bilge is "productive?"

[Tina H]

87. BBC photojournalism is not bilge.

My previous post explained why I think the reply at issue is productive.

[Judi Lynn]

90. Actually your post did NOT explain adequately why you brought up Clinton.

That would be to attempt to hijack the discussion by bringing in negative material we all realized long ago.

Bringing up Bill Clinton's affair does NOT gently move the conversation in a more "productive" direction.

DU posters don't need a conversation manager, actually.

[Tina H]

91. If I were I "conversation manager" . . .

I would delete this whole thread because it does not do any good to attack the pResident for the one *nice* thing he has done during his presidency, specifically: trying to comfort a young woman (with some success, apparently).

"Conversation manager" is not my designated role here at DU, so I am content to allow this thread to remain.

It is my prerogative to try to gently direct conversation down more productive avenues when I see fit. That is all I am attempting to do here. There are plenty of productive ways to attack *.

[Judi Lynn]

92. It actually appears this profoundly stupid, sly man

is hamming it up for the cameras, using the kid as a prop, nothing more.

DU'ers are not that stupid.

Why the proprietary air toward the forum? There are thousands of people here, and you're the first one who has presumed to claim it's your "perogative" to "direct conversation."

The idea of the forum is to provide a living contribution from many different people, with NO ONE riding herd, it would seem.

[Tina H]

95. maybe DU will make a rule against . . .

gently directing conversation, but they haven't done so yet. My guess is that there is no such DU rule, because then a vast majority of the replies on every thread would need to be deleted.

Replies are purposefully crafted to gently direct conversation all the time (your replies on this thread included).

[Judi Lynn]

97. Actually, from what I've seen in the time I've been reading and posting

most of the contributors actually participate with a sense of community, and are far more spontaneous, and less rigid and controlling than that.

The very idea of communication would be destroyed if one person hijacked the conversation and tried to control where the other contributors were going, and what they are to discuss.

As a Democrat, I've had a long time to reflect upon the errors of Bill Clinton's ways with Monica. I'm simply burned out. It was never any of my business, in the first place, nor of any of us.

I think it's crude and nasty to try to toss it back into the mix when Democrats here have something in the present to work on.

[Tina H]

99. "Democrats here have something in the present to work on."

I wholeheartedly agree with that. Well said.

[bobbyboucher]

129. Pure, unadulterated

bullshit. You and everyone here knows exactly what you are attempting to do, and you got busted in the first reply. Quit trying to squirm your way out of it, it really looks pathetic. And all this talk about it being your prerogative to direct the conversation, that's another pant load.

You've been exposed, you got no cred, and you might as well quit while you are behind. Your boy Bushy was posing, that fucking fraud, if he was doing his goddamn job, that little girl's mother would be alive.

Later.

[Judi Lynn]

76. The real President's wife also looks very connected and open

to the people in the photo.

Now THAT'S what loving, good people look like. Thanks for posting these.

[yardwork]

75. Bill Clinton went to the 9/11 site the day after the attack.

He walked around the site talking to people. This was days and days before Chimpy felt safe landing in NYC. It was while the air was still extremely poor quality.

It was a decent and brave thing for Clinton to do, and I admired him at the time. Where was Chimpy? In an undisclosed location, waiting until it was safe to come out.

[bif]

16. Did he chop an onion to get that look in his eyes?

Or is it from alcohol?

[snippy]

17. I think it was staged.

Look for this to be heralded by the Reich wing as being comparable to walking on water.

[Minstrel Boy]

18. "Feel your pain? Hell, I gave it to ya!

Hear the one about the trifecta?"

[devinsgram]

19. Always working it.

What a hypocrite. Using that poor kid for publicity.

[Spoon]

20. It doesn't even look like him.

Body double? What's up with the nose? Here's a "normal" pic...

[demdave]

22. There are many reasons to point out flaws here, this is the MOST inane.

Let's try to stay in the realm of reality.

[trogdor]

32. Check the link.

It's from the NATIONAL ENQUIRER. Not exactly the paper of record, dude.

[Philostopher]

38. It was on the front page of the

Dayton Daily News this morning, too. Like I needed another appetite suppressant -- I'm still trying to get my feed back from the Iraq torture photos.

[Pretty_in_CodePink]

103. Actually it is the Cincinnati Enquirer

Poor girl. Losing her mom and now being subjected to this insincere display. Well, she probably didn't detect that and doesn't understand the politics involved so maybe felt a bit comforted.

[skypilot]

23. What strikes me about this photo is...

...the fact that he's looking right into the camera. It's as if he's thinking, "Are you getting this?"

On edit: I posted the above before reading the other posts. I see that several other people noticed his eyes as well.

[belle]

124. Yep. Well, that, and how OLD he looks.

[Carni]

27. Jesus where was the hazmat team!

God only knows what that poor child has been contaminated with!

[powergirl]

28. I think this pic represents guilt

He knows he screwed up big time and even this doofus probably has regrets - although he would never admit it. Which is another reason we need to vote his ass out of office.

[Politicub]

What kind of look is that?

Is it supposed to be compassion? Because it looks to me like constipation.

[Carni]

31. I thought the same thing...

After he let the poor kid out of the headlock his next words were probably "pull my finger"

That look doesn't appear to be very "heart felt" to me, in fact he looks like it's all he can do to pose for his photo op and not smirk.

[progressivebydesign]

39. Someone on DU has a photo of him on 9/11 after he heard about it..

.. that look is very similar. Deer in headlights, guilt, panic, etc. It's just an odd look. I can't figure it out, and I'm usually quite expert at reading people. It's almost embarrassment... perhaps he didn't expect the girl to attach herself to him quite so much.. poor little girl, to idolize the man that could have prevented her own mother's death. That type of affection should have been reserved for Hart/Rudman, who actually TRIED to prevent the attack and other like them... they're the heroes.

[grilled onions]

30. Hugs for votes...

..if money fails. Everyone is a shill in his shell game.

[Misunderestimator]

33. Please kid, I'm trapped in the movie BIG, I'm not supposed to be president

[MarianJack]

34. Is This one of the hugs...

...that he was going to give to the families of those who died in Iraq?

[progressivebydesign]

35. I don't want to be mean.. but what a WIERD expression..

.. he looks very wierd! He doesn't look full of emotion, but he looks kinda like the Grinch, and he IS looking at the camera. WTF would this child WANT to hug the man that is ultimately responsible for the failure to stop her mother's death? How sad that she's been so deluded into thinking is a hero. Now she's a photo op!!! If the WHite House had any class (stupid statement), they would insist the photo NOT be release, because it is too private.. but.. hell, anything to win an election.

So.. what IS the emotion on that man's face?? Why does it look wrong?

[Carni]

46. He looks *uncomfortable*

That was the look he had when Card whispered to him about 9-11,
it's the "Oh shit guess I can't turn back now" look.

Being confronted by the child of someone who died on his watch must be mighty uncomfortable for the little dictator.

[chookie]

41. Well, it worked for Reagan

Regardless of our feelings for the guy, many of us have a vivid image of the daughter of a dead astronaut spontaneously leaning onto the shoulder of President Reagan, and how he struggled to keep his composure in this emotionally difficult moment -- the old boy certainly rose to the occasion and performed beautifully.

Karl Rove --since he can't use the aircraft carrier photos anymore -- needed to cook up another Potent Image.

Sorry -- I cannot buy for an instant that this is a spontaneous moment. At some level, it is staged.

Yeah, presidents get photographed in situations like this, and they need to, but this is the WTC version of the Iraqi incubator atrocity story.

Nice try, Chimp.

[gauguin57]

42. ew.

This photo will have the Freepers positively DIZZY with LOVE!

It has me dizzy with ... nausea.

Dubya is the LAST PERSON who has any right to use this little girl in a photo op. Fascist.

[lumpy]

43. Photo-op Jesus Pose

"Let the little children come unto me"
The Take Control Leader at the Twin Towers
The Earthy Shrub Slasher at the Ranch
The Intrepid Heroic Aviator
The Jolly Jockster on the Campaign Trail

[Gingersnapsback]

47. Probably paid for and staged by the RNC

[Catherine Vincent]

48. I sure hope he used deodorant!

[GregW]

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt

For any President - this was a good and compassionate thing to do.

[lumpy]

58. Yes, Great photo-op....

pu

[The White Rose]

49. De-humanising the opposition.

Is that what we're about? I thought that was a trait of the other side. Bush is a human being, not an evil cartoon chimp. He's as complex a mix of thoughts and emotions as any of us. Of course he's capable of real compassion, in fact, I'd say that he's by far the most compassionate of his inner circle. The man's a highly emotional being. On the positive side this means that he can be genuinely warm and personable on an intimate scale (which is reflected in his reputation, and the photo in question). However, in Bush's case it also means that he can be vicious and vindictive, particularly when on the defensive (which, for a "dry" drunk with a killer Oedipus Complex means most of the time). We must also remember that Bush, like so many of his supporters, has chosen to objectify his "enemies" as an antidote to guilt; he never sees the pictures of dead Iraqi children that we have seen, and intentionally so.

We think of ourselves as the truly compassionate ones; if we are to be so we cannot de-humanise those who oppose us. After all, evil is a human trait...

[Bridget Burke]

52. Yes, he's a human being, with free will.

He has the choice of doing right or wrong. He's chosen the wrong too many times. From accepting a presidency he did not earn, through igoring terrorist warnings & allowing all those people to die on 9/11, to starting an illegal war in Iraq.

I've been watching him since he was my governor & I can not recall one instance of genuine human compassion from him.

[The White Rose]

57. Did you ever meet him personally?

Like I said, Bush can be (not is, necessarily) warm on a personal scale, but, for a variety of psychological reasons, he objectifies those who oppose his idealogy. That's why it's so easy for him to sign orders which hurt, or even kill, the faceless masses.

All I'm saying is that Bush is more complex than many in this thread, or on this board, give him credit for; de-humanising and caricaturing him makes it all too easy to underestimate him and, at the same time, makes us more like him. And nobody wants that.

[lumpy]

63. I understand Hitler was known for being

warm on a personal level as well as Saddam. Many a picture of Saddam patting children on the head. Hitler loved his dogs and perhaps he even loved Eva Braun. He often posed with little girls and boys to show that he cared for them. They came to him with flowers in their hands while he had war on his mind. Bush has had lots of war on his mind.

[The White Rose]

79. Agreed. Both Hitler and Bush are/were highly emotional personalities.

I didn't say it was a good thing, did I? My concern is the ease with which some on this board are ready to adopt the same, simplistic perspective of Bush that he and his followers turn on us. For example, defining Bush as stupid is as un-useful (and inaccurate) as the Right defining Clinton as immoral. If you paint with broad strokes you easily miss the details. And, of course, the Devil is in the details.

[AlGore-08.com]

71. I haven't met him personally, but I know people who have

And they all say he's very charming and likable in person. And these are people who cannot stand anything about his politics and have never been duped by his charm into thinking Bush must be a moderate, that he'd govern from the center, etc., etc., etc.

[The White Rose]

80. My point exactly.

:-)

[Judi Lynn]

64. There was his one moment of greatness, Bridget Burke

* "Please! Don't kill me." -- George W. Bush to Larry King, mocking what Karla Faye Tucker said when asked "What would you say to Governor Bush?" prior to her execution by lethal injection (as reported by Talk magazine, September 1999).

[stevedeshazer]

51. Nice one, demdave

You sucked a lot of naive posters into this right-wing talking point. Score one for your side.

[Karenina]

96. Technik ist ALLES!

[demdave]

105. It certainly is.

[Timefortruth]

109. You have that right.

Some are better at it than others. Some are award winners, Demdave is at the top of his class.

[demdave]

110. You two ae just too sweet to me, Are you atached at the hip

and doesn't that get in the way of brushing your teeth?

[stevedeshazer]

111. Word.

Obvious. :eyes:

[demdave]

113. Waaaaaaaa

Cry me a river.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

53. it's phoney compassion photo op! look bush is staring directly into camera

[Gemini Cat]

54. I can think of another little girl who once needed a hug-

-thanks to bush policies, blunders and lust for blood and oil.

Right. bush can fake a hug all he wants, but bush and his PNAC goals made all of this death possible!




WARNING GRAPHIC PICTURE:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

[TrueStory]

55. He's like a Porno Star

faking orgasm.

[ugarte]

56. "God, I love blonde people"

eom

[mindfulNJ]

59. Well GEE...

Looks like I totally misjudged the guy...I guess he really IS a compassionate and caring guy...not a murderous, lying, war-mongering, phony son-of abitch after all. He hugged someone! This proves it, right?:eyes:

[samsingh]

60. shrub is looking into the camera for the photo op

[Macadian]

62. About looking into the camera.....

... if you read the article, the father of the girl is the one who took the picture. So Bush is looking at the father who's daughter he is comforting. He's not looking at the camera, he is looking at the dad. Nothing unusual or cynical about that.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

This administration has screwed plenty of things up that need attacking. But we look like idiots for making big deals about stupid things like, 'he's looking at the camera'!!

[Avonrepus]

66. Well it obviously fooled some people...

http://www.rightnation.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=38204

This Gem is my personal Fav:

By the aptly named bushisawesome

"Oh my God...............I can hardly see what I am typing...........I love this

guy............and am so proud of him....my heart just swells.........."

How I laughed.

[Judi Lynn]

69. Why would anyone seek comfort from the village idiot? Because he's there?

[lumpy]

67. The jackass is famous now

for doing the staged 'Hollywood' photo-op. Of course Bush wants to make sure we know it is him hugging the little girl; here I am camera. Bullhorn in hand at the Twin Towers, thoughtful Bush on the escape-from-danger plane, slashing brush at the 'ranch' set, full blown 'aviator hero' commander-in-chief, Fake turkey platter sitting down with the troops, need we go on ?

[PaDUer]

122. So he was posing

for the father to take his pix...

[BonjourUSA]

72. And if he was really affected...

Don't shoot on me... He can... No ? Ok, this poor guy has no chance with you. ;)

[henslee]

74. Very disturbing. Wonder the last time he hugged his daughters.

[Tellurian]

81. PHONY, PHONY, PHONY, PHONY, PHOTO-OP nt

[eswanson]

84. It's a shame that he couldn't look sincere, even if he was.

Now for real sincerity in a similar picture, you really don't have to look any farther than Clinton hugging Monica Lewinsky. That guy could teach Bush a few lessons about sincerity. And dealing with young women.

[DS1]

85. Clinton on 9/11, for those concerned

http://www.musarium.com/stories/magnum911/12.html

I'm sure there's more out there.

[sadiesworld]

88. I think he was entirely sincere.

The monkey knows that if it weren't for 9/11 and the misguided popularity it inspired, he would have been hauled out of the WH in chains by now.

[VolcanoJen]

89. That's the Cincinnati Enquirer for ya!

This photo appeared on the first page of Section B, and it was freaking huge. I just couldn't believe this non-story was being reported and given so much coverage and emphasis, and then I realized that I was looking at the Enquirer. :-)

By the time I left work today, the photograph had been defaced by a series of my coworkers. Devil horns, evil eyebrows, a black eye... and, someone wrote "LIAR" with an arrow pointing to him.

That surprised me... and made me realize that not everyone buys this kind of garbage.

[guajira]

98. VolcanoJen, Glad Not all Buckeyes are Ditto-heads!

"By the time I left work today, the photograph had been defaced by a series of my coworkers. Devil horns, evil eyebrows, a black eye... and, someone wrote "LIAR" with an arrow pointing to him."

As a former Buckeye with family in Cincinnati, I'm encouraged by your post!

[VolcanoJen]

100. Dupe

Dupe... damn buggy software! :D

[VolcanoJen]

101. Maybe it's because of where I work...

We are all servers, bartenders, dishwashers, chefs and the like. Working class heroes, every last one of us. We're just not as easily fooled by Chimpy, I think. We understand the realities of low wages, no insurance, no vacation. Those issues hit home for people like us.

I'm sure if we worked in some sparkling downtown Cincinnati office, someone would have distributed copies of that "heartwarming" story and photo. We likely would have been instructed to genuflect before the photo, even. ;-)

A working class hero is something to be... :D

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

119. I know exactley ONE who is not...sorrry to say.

The only Democrats in Ohio that I know are the ones on line, and a few gay folks.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

118. Front page of the Dayton Daily News, too...

...and thats supposed to be a liberal (har har) paper.

Bush is popular in this area....that cant be denied.

[Merlin]

93. The pained expression says: I'm hurtin', too. I know I'm a one-termer...

...just like my daddy.

[Judi Lynn]

102. Really hope you read that right! It's time to re-elect Al Gore! n/t

[Malva Zebrina]

104. He is full of +shi++

He has no concept of the =suffering of the common man.

He cares only for himself, his manufactured image, and that manufactured image of his family and ultimately the money his family and it's buddies will make over the wars he creates.

[truthisfreedom]

106. bush is going to have to do a lot more hugging to catch up with all the

tragedy he's brought on our country through his misguided policies and rush to war. pretty much a full-time hugging job for the rest of his life... if he resigns now, he might be able to take a couple hours off every year.

[Name removed]

107. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Failure]

108. Sorry I was too busy golfing and fishing to protect Murika..NT

[ElementaryPenguin]

112. Actually looks to me as if he's about to burst out into a fucking grin!

A shit eating one at that!! Or, is the sick fuck actually fighting the urge to burst out laughing - I see that possibility in his expression too. Looks like the idiot is suppressing something, and the way he's mugging for the camera - it isn't tears he's suppressing!

<Huge sigh> And to think I once thought the biggest problem with Shrub was that he was stupid and incompetent! The man is fucking evil!

:evilfrown:

[susu369]

114. This was staged - believe me: LINDA PRINCE is the clue

Bummer - I have to leave this evening and cannot follow up. Help please with research -

I apologize - should not have posted so quickly without thorough research. Will do better when I have more time.

[demdave]

115. What in the world are you talking about?

I cannot follow your train of thought. What is the connection and who is Linda Prince? I checked some of your googles and found nothing out of the ordinary jumble of references that would occur if you typed in any regular person's name. Please be more specific. Thanks.

[susu369]

116. Sorry -

this will be a lesson for me in the future.

[demdave]

117. Sorry if you took that wrong.

I was only trying to get more info.

[susu369]

120. I was at fault

:embarrassment-smilie:

Can't get my brain in gear. An Almond-Joy moment - sometimes you feel like a nut.

[MGKrebs]

121. Oh, there is very possibly a story here.

NOBODY gets that close to the POTUS without the Secret Service (SS) knowing exactly who they are. And if this event is similar to the others on Bush's* meet the people tour, they were all invited guests. So the guy was invited and allowed to be next to the Prez with his daughter. Do the math.

Checking Lynn Faulkner out, we find that he started a non-profit charity in in honor of his wife. There is no disclosure because they claim to have received less than $25,000. Fine.

The cynical side of me would say: The Prez is coming to town. The campaign needs bodies for the audience. Of COURSE they are going to invite Lynn Faulkner... as long as they KNOW he is on board with the Prez. If a photo op happens, hey, it was magic. What can we say.

And Faulkner says to himself; a picture with the Prez would go a long way to helping get donations for the charity. Cool.

Next set of research: How close is Mason, Ohio (Faulkners hometown) to Lebanon. In other words, how much trouble did they go to to get him there?

OK. Next. Go to open secrets to see who Faulkner is giving money to, if anybody. Here is the only entry.

FAULKNER, LYNN ALAN
MASON,OH 45040

10/2/2003
$500
Klayman, Larry E

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Faulkner&txtState=OH&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&Order=N

Is that the Judicial Watch guy? Is he running for something?

[MGKrebs]

123. More info:

"In September, 2003, Larry left Judicial Watch to run for the United States Senate"

http://www.klaymansenate.com/about.htm

...from Florida. Faulkners only political contribution is to a Florida Senate candidate?

More about Klayman (from his own website):

"Reagan Conservative"

"Leading Enemy of Bill and Hillary Clinton and their "comrades" like Senators Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, and Charles Schumer of the "great left wing conspiracy" "

"Larry made it on his own without help from the government or any special interests"

"Clinton and his wife, Hillary, also sought to attack our Judeo-Christian values and traditions."

"Congressman Bob Barr, who is an advisor to and has endorsed Larry's United States Senate bid,"

OK, so if Faulkner feels compelled to make this his only political contribution to date, I think we know where he is coming from. That's fine, it's not illegal to be a conservative (!).

[crossroads]

125. Like every thing else... this spontanious moment was decietful

and staged! What a phony... :grr:

[skypilot]

126. There was an article in the NY Post...

...where the father of this girl claims that "a very honest sort of sadness" came across Bush's face when he heard that the girl's mother had died at the WTC. I think it's very interesting that even Bush's admirers seem to qualify his supposedly human characteristics. The guy doesn't say that a "sad expression" came across Bush's face but rather "an honest sort" of sadness. It reminds me of a post I read at FreeRepublic. A poster there described Bush as giving a "very convincing impression of sincerity". This poster doesn't describe Bush as sincere but simply as giving a convincing impression. They say these things as though they are positives.

[MGKrebs]

127. Same with the "apology"!

He didn't REALLY apologize, at least not that we can know. He CLAIMED he apologized in private, and NOT to the world or the Iraqi people in any case! Only to the King of Jordan?!

So, they apparently want to give the PERCEPTION of having apologized without ACTUALLY apologizing.

[rebellious woman]

128. Put a hand from the nose up, then from the nose down and tell me

what you "really see".....and who he "looks like". I
saw another cruel leader...or have I gone totally insane!